| Era | Rise of the Roman Empire |
| Name | |
| Role | Roman general • Roman statesman |
| Outcome | Laid the foundations for over four centuries of Roman Imperial rule |
| Known for | Partnering with Julius Caesar to transform the Roman Republic into an Empire |
| Achievements | Helped Julius Caesar consolidate power • Expanded Roman territory and influence across the Mediterranean |
Pompey the Great, or Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, was a renowned Roman general and statesman who, along with his long-time ally Julius Caesar, was instrumental in the transition of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. In contrast to our timeline, where the two men eventually became bitter rivals, in this alternate history Pompey remained a steadfast supporter of Caesar, helping him consolidate power and secure his position as the first Roman emperor.
Born in 106 BC to a prominent patrician family, Pompey rapidly rose through the ranks of the Roman political and military establishment in his youth. He first distinguished himself as a skilled commander during the Sullan civil war, where he helped Sulla defeat the forces of the populares faction.
Pompey's military exploits and growing political influence soon caught the eye of the young Julius Caesar, who saw in him a potential ally. The two men formed a powerful triumvirate with the wealthy Crassus in 60 BC, using their combined resources and influence to outmaneuver their rivals in the Senate.
Over the next decade, Pompey and Caesar worked in close concert, with Pompey providing crucial military leadership while Caesar advanced their shared political agenda. Pompey's campaigns against Mithridates VI of Pontus and in the Third Servile War expanded Roman territory and solidified the loyalty of the legions, while Caesar's tenure as consul and governor of Gaul allowed him to build a power base.
When the time came for Caesar to make his move against the conservative optimates faction in the Senate, Pompey was at his side. Together, they defeated the forces of Pompey's rival Cicero and Cato the Younger in the civil war that ensued, culminating in Caesar's triumph and declaration of himself as the first Roman emperor.
With Caesar as emperor, Pompey became his most trusted general and administrator, lending his military acumen to further expand the boundaries of the new Roman Empire. Under their leadership, the empire grew to encompass much of Europe, North Africa and the Near East.
Pompey played a crucial role in subjugating the Dacian Kingdom and securing Roman control over the Balkans. He also oversaw the successful invasions of Britannia and parts of Germania. Caesar, meanwhile, led campaigns that brought Hispania, Gaul and Pontus firmly under imperial rule.
In recognition of his indispensable contributions, Pompey was eventually made a co-emperor alongside Caesar, forming a lasting dynastic partnership that would define the first centuries of the Roman Empire. The two men worked in tandem to centralize power, reform the legal and administrative systems, and lay the foundations for the Pax Romana - an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity across the Mediterranean world.
Pompey's death in 48 BC did not disrupt the stability of the new imperial order, as Caesar's adopted son and heir Octavian was able to smoothly assume power. The Caesarian dynasty they established would go on to rule the Roman Empire for over four centuries, with Pompey's military genius and political acumen remembered as instrumental to its creation and endurance.
In this alternate timeline, Pompey the Great's legacy as a key architect of the Roman Empire is secure, in contrast to the more turbulent path of our own history. His lasting partnership with Julius Caesar reshaped the course of Western civilization for centuries to come.
